Rival military leaders in Libya meet for UN-led talks on elections
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The Joint Military Committee meets with a group of eastern, western, and southern military leaders under the auspices of Abdoulaye Bathily, the UN envoy for Libya.
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One of Libya's rival prime ministers Abdul Hamid Dbeibah attends a celebration for youth in the city of Zawiya, 30 km (19 miles) west of Tripoli, Libya, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022 (AP)
In the "first inclusive meeting inside Libya in a decade", the country's capital hosted this week the rival military leaders for UN-led talks on a new timeline for general elections.
On Sunday, the 5+5 Joint Military Committee, in charge of the military track of Libyan reconciliation, met with a group of eastern, western, and southern military leaders under the auspices of Abdoulaye Bathily, the UN envoy for Libya.
Bathily called "on all leaders in the east, west, and south to support consolidating peace in Libya," in reference to a national consensus need to conduct presidential and parliamentary elections this year.
Read: UN mission in Libya warns of dangers of armed forces mobilization
The regional leaders agreed with the Military Committee to push the House of Representatives and the High Council panel to pursue the elections.
The next meeting will occur on April 20 in Benghazi.
On another note, Al Mayadeen correspondent reported that the UN commission of inquiry in Libya accused the European Union and European member states of providing logistical and financial support to Libyan groups accused of committing crimes against humanity.
According to our reporter, The UN Commission added that European support comes in the context of preventing migrants from heading to Europe.
It is worth noting that oil-rich Libya has remained in turmoil since 2011 when longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi was ousted following a NATO attack on the country.
The country has been suffering from an escalating political crisis with a dispute between two governments. The first was headed by Fathi Bashagha, who was granted confidence last March by the Libyan House of Representatives, in Tobruk, the far east of the country.
The second is the Libyan National Unity Government, which was formed on March 10, 2021, following political agreements sponsored by the United Nations, and is headed by Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, who refuses to hand over power except through presidential and parliamentary elections.
Read: Iran plans to reopen embassy in Libyan capital
The Libyan people have been robbed of their right to enjoy their country's resources after NATO launched a military attack on the country in 2011.
NATO's international war was concocted by Brussels and Washington, subsequently leading to the collapse of Libya as a whole.
Last June, Ankara approved a motion to extend Turkey's military intervention in Libya for an additional 18 months as of July 2.
The Turkish Presidency submitted the request in light of a request for "military assistance" by the Libyan government on June 13.
In November, British oil giants BP and Shell decided to return to the oil-rich north African country just over a decade after the UK took part in destabilizing the nation with the 2011 military intervention.
Control of oil resources, infrastructure, and revenues has been a key driver of the long-running conflict, involving multiple foreign powers and militias.
